Meeting in Brussels: the last edition of the #ENERGeeWatch learning programme

After a summer of peer learning around Europe, in autumn we went back to school! 40 specialists from 26 organisations in 13 countries joined the 4 ENERGee Watch courses on energy and climate data – for the first time together in Brussels.

The programme kicked-off with a webinar in October, introducing the courses and setting participants’ expectations. On November 15-16 we opened the doors of the beautiful BIP Meeting Center in Brussels, for two days of our experts’ Masterclasses (overview of courses). During the months to follow, the mentees had time to finalise their Action Plans and complete the programme.

Meeting all together in-person in the European capital brought the added value of getting to know the fellow participants and their local realities, being able to build new contacts and partnerships, as well as sharing a laugh during the coffee breaks. For those where travelling was not an option, the programme shifted to hybrid.

Course 1: Energy Data collection (acquisition and treatment)

Dedicated to systematic, temporary and periodic collection of energy and climate data at the local level, the course was led by mentor Boštjan Krajnc,CEO of Slovenian Energy Agency of Savinjska, Šaleska and Koroška Region (KSSENA). 

Data collection and management are crucial for identifying trends, defining and monitoring strategies, and prioritizing energy efficiency improvements. The course helped participants to learn how to establish an effective energy management system for the public sector, as well as how to identify sources and facilitate access to territorial aggregated, and non-identifying energy data. From basic principles to estimating emissions in urban and other road transportation, there was space for discussion, sharing and interaction.

Course 2: Monitoring, Reporting, Verification: follow up on implementation of actions

Cyprus Energy Agency brought its mentors Savvas Vlachos, Charis Kordatos and Myrto Skouroupathi to guide the participants through the process for successfully implementing SECAPs.

Through presentations, interactive exercises and open debates, mentees understood it’s crucial to start by forming a competent team and connecting the SECAP with the political reality of their addressed territory – not forgetting to consider citizen’s demands and the amplitude of energy poverty. By the end they knew how to set up a long term vision, a baseline for facilitating the monitoring process, and various verification determinants. Alba Iulia Energy Agency (ALEA) was there to share their practices within the ANERGO energy observatory.

The highlight of the two days was declared the common exercice on the sustainable business model canvas, running and implementing the local SECAP process like a business model or in a very similar manner.

Course 3: Indicators and strategies on adaptation to Climate Change

The mentees of Sandra Garrigou, Marie-Laure Falque Masset and Franziska Barnhusen from AREC-IDF Energy & Climate Agency became familiar with concepts and notions associated with climate change adaptation.

Presentations, brainstorming, SWOT analysis, role play exercices and lots of sticky notes supported in an interactive way the mentees to understand the stakes in one’s territory, the climate change impacts and their associated effects, and to learn how to prefigure adaptation policies, to draw on associated methods and tools, in particular to assess the effects of adaptation policies.

Examples of adaptation plans from inside and outside the continent were proposed. On their turn, the mentees shared their experience with the AdaptME toolkit and the Healthy Cities Generator.

Course 4: Data display, dissemination and validation by local authorities

Mentor Thomas Knight from AURA-EE Energy Agency introduced methods of presentation, distribution and validation of energy and climate data from energy plans among experts and the general public. The participants learned how to identify their target audience and methods for broader communication. The TerriSTORY® tool developed by AURA-EE was presented in depth and discussed, as online data visualisation and territorial planning tool.